Bolivia Guide
La Paz
Museo Nacional de Arqueología Tiwanaku
Address: Calle Tiahuanaco Opening time: Mon– Fri 9am–12.30pm & 3–7pm, Sat 10am–12.30pm & 3–6.30pmPrice: $1.25
The Museo Nacional de Arqueología Tiwanaku is set inside a bizarre neo-Tiwanaku building that was originally home to the naturalized Bolivian archeologist Arthur Posnansky, who led some of the first serious excavations at Tiwanaku. The museum has a reasonable collection of textiles, ceramics and stone sculptures from the Inca and Tiwanaku cultures, though the exhibits are poorly explained. Amongst the more eye-catching items is a collection of post-conquest Inca drinking cups, known as kerus, painted and carved with human faces, one of which is clearly chewing coca. Also interesting is a selection of drug paraphernalia from the Tiwanaku era, including long wooden tubes used for snorting powerful hallucinogens.